Percussion-fuse for exploding shells.



PATENTBD APR. 12, 1904. K. WIESER. PERCUSSION FUSE FOR EXPLODING SHBLLS.

APPLIoATIoN FILED APB. 3o. 1902.

No MODEL.

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UNITED STATES PERCUSSIN-FUS FO-F` EXPL'O'iDINGr SHELLiS.;

SPECIFICATION refining para ef Letters recent No. 757,165', aerea parApplication sled April so, V1902.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, KARL 1Nissen, a subject of the Emperor of Germany,and a resident of 34'Friederiken'strasse, Riittenscheid, near Eslsen-on-the-Ruhr, Germany, have invented certain newv and usefulImprovements in Percussion-Fuses for Exploding Shells, of which thefollowing is a specification.

Percussion-fuses have heretofore been) provided with an arrangement forso regulating 'the detonation of the exploding charge that it followsthe ignition ofthe fuse with or with out delay-that is to say, either atthe instant the 'projectile reaches the target or with a sufficientretardation to insure the explosion taking place after the projectilehas penetrated the target. The adjustment of the percussionfusecorresponding to .these two results may be designated for convenience asthe impact position or the delay position.

The present invention constitutes a new embodiment of percussion-fusefor attaining the aforesaid object, which provides for a rapid and easychanging of the condition of the fuse from delay to impact, and viceversa, by arranging a cock in a channel which forms direct or immediatecommunication between the igniting-'chamber of the percussion-fuse andthe bursting charge of the shell, through the medium of which cock thechannel may be opened or closed. 1

The accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, show anembodiment of the invention by way of illustration in its two positionsor conditions of use.

Figure l is a vertical section through the axis of the fuse and the axisof the cock-spindle with 'the channel opened; Fig. 2, a correspondingsection with the channel closed; Fig. 3, a pla-n View corresponding toFig. l, and

Fig. 4 a plan view corresponding to Fig. 2.

Percussion-fuses heretofore made have emplyed' a needle-bolt A,check-ring B, and the safety-spring C, arranged immediately in a bore ofthe fuse-body F, and the igniting-pellet D, resting in a screw-cap whichcloses the bore, while from the igniting-chamber of the percussion-fusetwo diiferent passages lead toward the interior of the shell. One ofthese Patented April lsu y1904:.

A'KARL Winsen, or RTTnNscHEIn, NEAR EssizNloNrHnnuH enniif i AssIeNoR'To riuso. KRUPP, or Es'snicoN-rnn-nun a vR AN.

seein Ne. 105,349. No modus passages is formed 'by an bliqu'e chau'extending from the ignitirig'ichamberand..` er minating'in alongitudinaichanneliS,frnnnirrg parallel to the axis of thefuse,"'"extending-fors..l Ward tothe head of thefuse-fbbdy; and' rece e.ing at its base a-portion K off rapidly-.burning is filled with alongitudinallyandrtrausyersely bored charge'M of rapidlyfbunningl powderand closed by a screw-plug Le. provided with 'a longitudinal bore O.-Thesecondlconnecr burning powder and dischargesfinto the bore T. If thechannelR iS OPQIlellheash .,Offll l fuse pellet communicates`1l`r therapidlyburning powder K, thence` tol'lthe ,rapidlyf burning charge M,and then toth te,V l o4 the shell, and detonationS of -the charge takesplace instantly upon impactf If, however, the oblique channel R isclosed, the flash from the fuse-pellet only ignites the slowburningcharge N and is communicated from it lio the rapidly-burning charge Mless rapidlty, so that the last-named charge M detonates the burstingcharge only after the elapsc of suicient time to permit penetration tohave taken place.

According to the present invention the device for cutting ofi" thechannel R, which forms the immediate communication between theigniting-chamber of the,percussionfuse and the bursting charge, consistsof a cock V, which at the height of the opening of channel R intochannel S has a bore E, which leads into the longitudinal bore G. Thelatter terminates above the charge of rapidly-burning powder at the baseof the channel S. The cock V carries on its upper end a spring-arm H,for which two recesses J' J2 are provided in the fuse-head.

In the position df use illustrated in Figs. l and 3 the cock V is in theposition in which its spring-arm H rests in the recess J and its bores EG establish communication with the open channel R. In consequence whenthe 55 powder, which reinforcesthe'liashnoffthe ige) "Hf-- ftoigniting-needle pricks the igniting-pellet in the well-known manner uponthe impact of the projectile the tire-Hash proceeds Without delaythrough the bore of the needle-bolt and through the channels R, E, G, S,T, and O to the bursting charge, so that the shell explodes at theinstant of its impact.

If the ignition is to follow with delay, the arm H of the cock isreleased by hand from the .rest J and moved in the direction of thearrow Fig. 3, until it springs into the recess J, Fig. 4. The cock Vthen takes the position shown in Fig. 2. In this position of the cockthe channel R is closed ofi' fromV the channel S, so that the ignitionof the bursting chargecan take place only after the combustion of theretarding-charge N, contained in the channel U.

Having thus described the said invention,

the following is what is claimed as new there-A 1. In a percussion-fuse,the combination with a fuse-stock, and a non-rotatable primer, of twopassages communicating ignition to the bursting charge, a delay-actiondevice in one of said passages, and manually-operated means rotatableindependently of the primer to one position to open the other passageand"u to another position to close it.

2. In a percussion-fuse, the combination with a'fuse-stock, and anon-rotatable primer, of two passages communicating ignition to thebursting charge, a delay-action device in one of 'said' passages, a cockturning independently of primer in the other passage and movable to oneposition to open said passage, and to another position to close saidpassage.

3. In a percussion -fuse, the combination with a fuse-stock, and anon-rotatable primer of two passages communicating ignition to thebursting charge, a delay-action device in' one oi' said passages, a cockturning independently of primer in the other passage and movable to oneposition to open said passage, and to another position tol close saidpassage, and means for ixin g the cock in its respective po sitions. f

4:. In a percussion-fuse of substantially the character hereindescribed, having two passages communicating ignition a delay-actiondevice in one of said passages, a cock turning in and arranged to openand close the other passage, a spring-arm on said cock, and meansengaging the spring-arm in the opened and closed positions of the cock.

5. In a percussion-fuse of substantially the character herein described,having two passages communicating ignition, `a delay-action device inone of said passages, a cock turning in and arranged to open and closethe other passage, a spring-arm on the free e'id oi' the cock, andrecesses J J, in the fuse, ini o which the spring-arm enters at therespective `ends of the cocks turning movement.

rIhe foregoing specification signed at Dusseldorf this 17th day ofApril, 1902.

KARL IVIESER. In presence of-- PETER LIEBER, WViLLIAu EssENWEIN.

